Chrissie's Books

I did enjoy this book very much, so I must give it four stars. How I determine the stars is that simple! Explaining why I feel as I do, that is the point of the review.

I came to care for people that are so very different from me. The author made their lives tangible to me. The author taught me about a time and place in such a way that it became MY world. You learn about life in Bombay during the 70s when Indira Gandhi implemented the "Emergency Rule", "Beautification" and enforced sterilization. How did these political decrees affect the lives of millions? THAT is what this book is about. I don't want to know the numbers and dry statistics; I want to feel what the people living through these times felt. And that is exactly what I got.

Now, realistically, this has to be a depressing tale. If you follow the plot-line, it is a depressing tale. I am not going to say otherwise, but there IS humor thrown in, lots of humor - satirical and sweet and laugh-ou-loud humor and sad humor too.... There are sections that will bring you to tears, but look, if you are moved to love someone you will cry with them and laugh with them too! I was moved by the plight of these people, but I also rejoiced with them when they cooked together and laughed in the kitchen or played with kittens or.... Tears and laughter go hand in hand, in real life and in this book too. I delayed reading this book because I was afraid that it would be just too depressing. It is depressing, but it drew accurately a time and place in history. At the same time it illustrated the small joys that we can draw from life.

I believe this book has a message. It is a novel that teaches what Buber teaches in [b:I and Thou|551866|I and Thou|Martin Buber|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348657981s/551866.jpg|539106]: people are not things, they are not objects and they should never be treated as such. There is value in every individual regardless of their station, status, origin, religion, appearance...

I recommend reading this book. No, no, no!!! I recommend listening to it narrated by John Lee! His narration is totally perfect, and he too brings humor to the lines that the author has written. His Indian dialect is so very perfect .... and funny. Just listening to the dialogs between the characters will make you smile. You need to smile when you read what happens to these characters, these people that become you close friends.

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In Chapter Twelve:
The book is marvelous again. There are a group of people you come to care for. They are together again; their dialog is marvelous and sweet and funny. What about this line? The nephew is speaking of his crazy uncle: "Sometimes my uncle's screw gets a little loose!" Note, his head has only ONE screw!

There are kittens...... Picture four adults dithering over kittens.

The most amazing aspect of this novel is that the world of beggars and utter destitution becomes one you completely understand, inhabited by people similar to yourself. From the mouth of "Beggar-master" comes the wise words: "You'd be surprised, beggars are just ordinary human beings."

What about this funny line: "That's enough of your philosophy!" This sentence is about how when you logically look around you and judge how the world works, reality seems very depressing.

Another thing: I REALLY like how previous ideas you might have held are washed away. You see two people holding opposing views. Sometimes the two are friends. Sometimes they are enemies, but each propounds their own view. You can see the validity of both! I like this very much. It makes you re-evaluate much that you have previously taken as a given, as completely indisputable! You do one thing, you thought it was right, only to find that it was in fact wrong. This book shows you to look a little deeper, to not judge people too quickly. This book is growing on me.


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Through Chapter Nine:
I don't know yet what yet I think of this book.The themes covered are serious - the caste system and Indira Gandhi's "Emergency" and "Beautification", as it plays out in the lives of the poorest and most destitute living in Bombay in the 70s. There is humor. There is both cute humor and a lot of political satire. Maybe the latter appeals to you more than me? I get so furious I want to punch somebody. You also see how people who have nothing help others with even less; this balances the horrors. Sitting, listening to this on a long car ride for eight hours, as I did yesterday, was tough. I felt so upset by the plight of these people. It is one thing to read about destitute individuals without a face, it is completely another to experience what happens to a few individuals whom you relate to as friends. Mistry has made the characters into my friends. I have much left, about nine hours.

John Lee's narration could never be improved. His Indian dialect makes you smile, and you need to smile when you read this book! Don't read this book; listen to it!


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In Chapter One:
Oh, but there is humor in this book! Dina has just met Rustom. They both enjoy concerts. One night she arrives sopping wet. Her own hankie was just not adequate to dry off her hair, and Rustom offers his own large handkerchief, which he assures IS clean. Oh, but no, she cannot borrow that! Would that be proper?! What does he say? If she doesn't take the handkerchief he will remove his shirt, right there in the concert hall lobby, and towel down her hair with that. I thought this book was supposed to be super depressing! I don't mind books with dark themes as long as humor or hope or kind people are thrown in! I have come across two kind people already. I have a hunch that Maneck is kind too.

John Lee is the narrator. One cannot wish for a better narration. It is superb!